St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-25


among the Sioux that year. My eX-
perience was thrilling one, but it is
as fresh in my memory as if it had Oc-
CURED yesterday. l was at MankatO at
the time in bed from Injuries received
on Sunday from runaway accident, in
which a vicious horse nearly ended
nv career. The following day, Mon
day, the nth of August, while in my
room at the hotel, the bells sounded an
alarm and the people cOngregated
quickly on the street to learn
the cause. A sporting man
named Bill HaddocK brought
in the first tIdingS of the Sioux upriS-
ing, but little attention was paid to his
story, many of the Inhabitants doubt
ing its correctness, owing to the char
acfer of their informant. But he was
Quickly SubStantiated by others more
influential, and the mayor received a
telegram announcing the threatened
danger while HaddOck was repeating
his statement to the pOpulace. A pub
lie meeting was at once organized
at which resolutions were adopted
calling upon Gov. Ramsey for
troops to be sent to the scene as quick
as possible. Several wounded settlers
came into MankatO before the meeting
adjourned and told the most horrible
stories of the atrocities being committed
by the Indians. There was some trouble
experienced in getting a messenger to
take the result of the meeting to the
governor, but, although sore from my
Injuries, | volunteered to perform this
duty, and soon had horse Saddled and
at my disposal. Fort Smelling was my
objective point, and when L reached my
destination, after hard ride, l found
Gov. Ramsey holding a consultation
with Bishop Whipple and the COM
mandant at the fort; but they
had no intelligence of the outbreak
up to the time of my appearance III their
midst. Like all army officers the COM
mandant did not believe that there was
anything serious likely to enSue, and
urged delay until the war department
could be communicated with on the
subject. Gov. Ramsey was also i'm
pressed with the idea that it would be
advisable to wait awhile, and, In the
discussion that enSued between us,
some pretty warm language was used.
Bishop Whipple, who had been an III
terested listener, joined with me, con-
WINGED, as he said afterwards, by my
earnestnesS, that the subject was
ONE DEMANDING INSTANT ATTENTION !;
and before l left the governor orders
had been issued to send four companies
of troops up into the disturbed section.
"At that time there was an expedition
fitting out for an exploration and survey
for new line of railroad in the vicinity
of Red lake, and the party was then at
st. Cloud, utterly ObliviOus of the dan
gers then menacing them from the hos
tile Indians. ] was interested in the
subject. for at that time | was running
a line of stages and express wagons in
the region of the outbreak, and | con-
cluded to go to st. Cloud and warn the
people. 1t was seyenty-five miles dis
tant; but l thought l could
make the journey safely in day,
and I left st. Paul on my errand
about o'clock in the afternoon. knew
every foot of the way, and had made up
my mind to stop at the stage stations
for fresh horses when they were neceS-
sary. Another thing that | remember
was that at each station drank tum-
bier of Indian whisky, but it had no APP
preciable effect during that long ride.
The horse that | left st. Paul upon was
a mean, vicious brute, and ran away
with me from Third street until near
st. Anthony Falls, when he gave out,
exhausted. Then | put whip and spur
when | dismOunted just as he dropped
dead. But | had no time to waste on
horsefesh. pushed on and was sue
cessful in reaching st. Cloud that even
ing about 9 o'clock. After / had told
the story of the outbreak some one sug-
gested that should take q drink. and
was in the act of doing so at the bar
when | tainted from exhaustion and eX-
element, and it was several days ere l
recovered from the effects of my jour-
ney. But the expedition delayed start